
§18; High Commission Court; used to fine and imprison, and other Mischiefs have ensued therefrom.; The said Branch of 1 Eliz. c. 2. repealed..Whereas in the Parliament holden in the first yeare of the Reigne of the late Queene Elizabeth late Queene
of England there was an Act made and established Intituled An Act restoring to the Crowne the ancient
Jurisdiction over the State Ecclesiasticall and Spirituall and aboshing all Forreign Power repugnant to the same
In which Act amongst other things there is conteined one Clause Branch Article or Sentence whereby it was Enacted
to this effect Namely That the said late Queenes Highnes her Heires and Successors Kings or Queenes of this Realme
should have full power and authoritie by vertue of that Act by Letters Patents under the Great Seale of England
to assigne name and authorize when and as often as her Highnes her Heires or Successors should thinke meet
and convenient and for such and so long time as should please her Highnes her Heires or Successors such Person
or Persons being naturall born Subjects to her Highnes her Heires or Successors as her Majestie her Heires or
Successors should thinke meet to exercise use occupie and execute under her Highnes her Heires and Successors
all manner of JurisdictionsPriviledges & Preheminence in any wise touching or concerning any Spirituall or
Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction within these her Realmes of England and Ireland or any other her Highnesse Dominions
		and Countries and to visit reforme redresse order correct and amend all such errors heresies schismes abuses offences
contempts and enormities whatsoever which by any manner Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall Power Authoritie or Jurisdiction
can or may lawfully be reformed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended to the pleasure of Almighty
God the encrease of vertue and the conservation of the Peace and Unity of this Realme And that such Person or
Persons so to be named assigned authorised and appointed by her Highnes her Heires or Successors after the said
Letters Patents to him or them made and delivered as aforesaid should have full power and authority by vertue
of that Act and of the said Leters Patents under her Highnes her Heires or Successors to exercise use and execute
all the Premisses according to the tennour and effect of the said Letters Patents any matter or cause to the contrary
in any wise notwithstanding And whereas by colour of some words in the foresaid Branch of the said Act whereby
Commissioners are authorized to execute theire Commission according to the tenour and effect of the Kings Letters
Patents and by Letters Patents grounded thereupon the said Commissioners have to the great and insufferable wrong
and oppression of the Kings Subjects used to fine and imprison them and to exercise other authority not belonging
to Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction restored by that Act and diverse other great mischeifs and inconveniences have alsoe
ensued to the Kings Subjects by occasion of the said Branch and Commissions issued thereupon and the executions
thereof Therefore for the repressing and preventing of the foresaid abuses mischeifs and inconveniences in time to
come Be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majestie and the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament
assembled and by the authoritie of the same That the foresaid Branch Clause Article or Sentence contained in the
said Act and every word matter and thing contained in that Branch Clause Article or Sentence shall from henceforth
be repealed annulled revoked annihilated and utterly made void for ever Any thing in the said Act to the contrary
in any wise notwithstanding.
II. 
nor administer any Oath ex officio.; Penalty, Treble Damages, and One hundred Pounds.
And be it alsoe Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that no Archbishop Bishop nor Vicar Generall nor any
Chancellour Officiall nor Commissary of any Archbishop Bishop or Vicar Generall nor any Ordinary whatsoever nor
any other Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall Judge Officer or Minister of Justice nor any other person or persons whatsoever
exercising Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power authoritie or Jurisdiction by any Grant Licence or Commission of the
Kings Majestie his Heires or Successors or by any power or authoritie derived from the King his Heires or Successors
or otherwise shall from and after the first day of August which shall be in the yeare of our Lord God one
thousand six hundred fourty and one award impose or inflict any paine penalty fine amercement imprisonment or
other corporall punishment upon any of the Kings Subjects for any contempt misdemeanor crime offence matter
or thing whatsoever belonging to Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall cognizance or Jurisdiction or shall ex officio or at the
instance or promotion of any other person whatsoever urge enforce tender give or minister unto any Churchwarden
Sydeman or other person whatsoever any corporall Oath whereby he or shee shall or may be charged or obliged
to make any presentment of any crime or offence or to confesse or to accuse him or her selfe of any crime
offence delinquencie or misdemeanour or any neglect matter or thing whereby or by reason whereof he or shee
shall or may be lyable or exposed to any censure pain penaltie or punishment whatsoever upon paine and penaltie
that every person who shall offend contrary to this Statute shall forfeit and pay trebble damages to every person
thereby greived and the sum of one hundred pounds to him or them who shall first demaund and sue for the
same which said trebble damages and su[m]m of one hundred pounds shall and may be demanded and recovered by
Action of Debt Bill or Plaint in any Court of Record wherein no priviledge Essoine protection or wager of Law
shall be admitted or allowed to the Defendant.
III. 
And be it further enacted That every person who shall be once convicted of any act or offence prohibited by this
Statute shall for such act or offence be from and after such conviction utterly disabled to be or continue in any office
or imployment in any Court of Justice whatsoever or to exercise or execute any power authority or Jurisdiction by
force of any Commission or Letters Patents of the King his Heires or Successors.
IV. 
And be it further Enacted That from and after the said first day of August no new Court shall be erected
ordeined or appointed within this Realme of England or Dominion of Wales which shall or may have the like
power Jurisdiction or authoritie as the said High Commission Court now hath or pretendeth to have But that all
and every such Letters Patents Commissions and Grants made or to be made by his Majestie his Heires or Successors
and all powers and authorities granted or pretended or mentioned to be granted thereby and all Acts Sentences
and Decrees to be made by vertue or colour thereof shall be utterly void and of none effect.